Ghostly Breath (English)
by SantCat
Summary: A desolate bus stop. An unabated rain. The bus that is yet to come. On the first day of autumn, Eren met Levi. Levi x Eren. English translation by Catanna on AO3 with some changes and slightly different ending.
1. Chapter 1

**Ghostly Breath**

 **Summary:** A desolate bus stop. An unabated rain. The bus that is yet to come. On the first day of autumn, Eren met Levi. Riren. English translation by Catanna on AO3 with some changes and slightly different ending.

 **Tags:** Levi x Eren. Blushing Eren everywhere. Eren the polite boy. Attempt at humor. Armin, master of misunderstanding. Jean is wearing embarrassing underwear. Light angst. Slight one-sided Jean x Eren. Check out this Ghostly Breath translation by Catanna.

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Eren ran through the rain with his satchel as an umbrella, not really protected from the rain. He was already soaked to the bone. From a distance, he saw the usual bus stop, the only transportation to his house in the corner of the city. He doubled his speed and almost slipped on a puddle which flooded next to the stop. Sheltered under the roof of the bus stop, Eren put his satchel on a chair and tried to dry his drenched uniform, though he knew it won't do him any good. He then tried to dry his hair, grunting to the fact that his usually messy hair became tameable because of the heavy rain.

The brunette looked up at the rumbling cloudy sky. It seemed that it would be a long time for the rain to subside. The boy sighed and sat on the waiting chair when suddenly he felt a shiver ran down his spine. The brunette looked around and his heart sank as soon as he found a very pale man sitting quietly at his side. How come he was not aware of the man's existence considering he stood out like a sore thumb in that bus stop.

He was wearing a black leather jacket. Beneath the jacket, a plain v-neck white tee wrapped tightly around his body, showing those delectable hard muscles. His hands were folded across his chest. Eren wondered, wasn't the raven cold wearing such an outfit? Sure he looked really hot (Ha! Get it? No? Forget it then), but still, the leather jacket can't fully protect him from the cold. The man wore a pair of dark blue ripped jeans while he crossed his legs arrogantly. His shiny black leather shoes reflected the lightning that occasionally struck the cloudy sky. When he raised his eyes to examine the man's face, his clear ocean colored eyes was caught by a pair of blue-gray eyes. The colors are very similar to that of the dark stormy ocean, very contrast to his bright tropical ocean one.

For a moment, no one said anything. Eren was the first to take his eyes off of the man. However, when he tried to steal a glance to the side, he found the man was still looking at him as if he was a piece of art with a priceless beauty. The brunette's face flushed and he cursed himself to think something like that. The seventeen-year-old felt awkward.

"Levi."

The ocean eyes looked back at an emotionless face with confusion.

"My name is Levi Ackerman," he repeated more clearly.

 _Ah._ As if he just solved a complicated puzzle, Eren's expression brightened. Although he didn't understand why the pale man suddenly introduced himself. _Maybe he thought we would often meet at this stop?_ He thought while nodding his head in understanding. The boy extended his right hand to shake, smiling sweetly.

"My name is Eren Yeager. Nice to meet you, sir."

The man just stared at the boy's right hand with a flat face. The brunette tilted his head confused and tentatively laid his right hand back into his lap, squeezing it with his other hand. His cheeks heat up, embarrassed because it seemed the ravenette rejected his offer to shake hands. Eren was confused as to why the man‒ah, no, Levi‒acted like that. He remembered clearly that shaking hands are a common thing to do in an introduction, and he did the right thing.

 _Maybe he is an OCD or even suffering an automysophobia. That's why he is reluctant to shake hands with other people._ Eren nodded to himself, trying to not be a narrow-minded bitch. He didn't like people who didn't want to look at other possibilities and judged based on their own perspective. So he was always looking at things from many different points of view to avoid misunderstandings. There wasn't only one possibility in life, right?

It was their last conversation. No one says anything afterward. Eren felt uncomfortable with the awkward silence, but he was also too scared to say something to the sinister-looking man. He finally chose to look around him and realized that there is a huge private hospital across the broad highway. After all this time he went to the bus stop, the brunette never once did acknowledge its existence.

Some time later, the long awaited bus finally decided to show up. Eren jumped happily. Quickly, the brunette snatched his satchel and stood at the edge of the bus stop. He turned toward Levi with his brightest (awkward) smile.

"Um ... Levi-san?"

"Just Levi," he said briefly.

"Ah ... um ... Levi, my bus is coming. When will yours come?" Eren asked politely, still with his cute awkward smile.

Levi looked at the boy intently. There was an unreadable expression on his face. A strange glint in his dark eyes made Eren feel something... unfamiliar. He wondered what it was. When the bus had stopped in front of the stop, Levi suddenly stood up.

"I also ride this bus, Brat," he said flatly.

Eren's smile faded slightly. It was replaced with an even more awkward expression and his face burned with embarrassment. Levi walked past the brunette and stopped right in front of the bus' door.

"What are you waiting for, kid? Let's go," he said, one step away from the door, giving a way for Eren to go in first like a gentleman _._ Eren quickly walked toward the bus and tried to hide his burning face. _Tried_ was the keyword. He swore that he saw a mischievous grin spread across the usually flat face before he actually got into the bus.

But that was not what bothered him. What disturbed him was...

The man's feet never touch the ground.

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 **(= RnR =)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ghostly Breath**

 **Written by: SantCat**

 **Translated by: Catanna**

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"Long ago, there was once a mafia boss who was shot to dead at a bus stop. The man originally wanted to meet his lover there. He had sent a letter to meet, and wait for his beloved, wearing his favorite leather jacket with a lovely bouquet of white roses ready in his hands. Little did he know, the letter never reached the hands of his lover, and the meeting was a trap. The unguarded crime lord eventually got shot and killed instantly. Rumor has it, the bouquet of white roses turned red because of his blood. Even now, his spirit waited for his lover at the bus stop with his bloodstained bouquet of roses."

His best friend's words played repeatedly in his mind. All of it seemed very logical if he connected it with things that happened to him yesterday. The man's characteristics matched the story. No wonder the bus stop was so deserted.

Eren actually felt a little scared. No matter how gorgeous the man was, he still was a ghost. They lived in very different world. Not to mention the ghost could possess him or even worse kill him anytime he wanted. His legs stomped frustratingly on the reddish leaves at his feet (Gasp! How cruel, Eren!). His mind was racing with this newfound fact. Did Levi still hold a grudge and would slay anyone he met? Would the ghost haunt him and release his rage on him? Would his life turn into a horror movie? The boy pulled his hair furiously.

Suddenly, a cold atmosphere engulfed his whole being. The brunette felt a shiver and immediately lifted his head, searching for the source. Ah, he thought. Of course, it comes from him.

He saw Levi was sitting in the same position from when they met yesterday. His eyes stared ahead at the huge hospital across the bus stop. Eren couldn't help but wonder if the lover he had been waiting was in that hospital? But was he really the dead crime lord in Armin's story? He wanted to be sure. With that in mind, the ocean eyed boy ventured to go further toward the stop. He positioned himself a little far from Levi, still wary of the man.

Levi was still looking at the hospital on the other side while Eren's thought was preoccupied with how to ask something that bothered him lately to the ghost. His head tilted to the sky. The weather that day was sunny with a few fluffy white clouds. He'd love to stare at the clouds and guess the shape, but no, he should first find out the answers to his questions before he went crazy. Should he open the conversation with a topic about clouds? But it's too stu–

"You knew, huh, brat."

The brunette jerked a little. His head turned to Levi whose eyes had already on him. Eren was a bit uncomfortable under the man's piercing gaze. His heart was pounding like crazy.

"A-ah... um..." Eren turned his gaze to his knees, then nodded slowly. Again, silence enveloped them both.

"Are you afraid of me?"

He never actually thought the indifferent man would utter such question. Eren fisted his hands on his thighs and then replied softly, "A... little."

The boy glanced at Levi. Something changed on his cold expression. But he couldn't say what changed. Just a hunch. His eyes turned back toward his knees, a thin smile on his face.

"But... I think you're not an evil ghost. You see, you have many opportunities from yesterday until today to attack me, but you never did." Eren lifted his head slightly to offer Levi a bright smile. "So, I'm sure at least you are a harmless ghost." His smile faded slightly. "... Unless you're just planning to do it now."

"Hmm..." was his only reply as he continued to stare at the bright eyes in front of him. The ocean orbs sparkling under the sunlight. Beautiful. Slowly, a deep blush crept on the boy's cheeks. Hey! Why do his stare even make me flustered! He cursed himself inwardly.

"Heh... Your face is so damn easy to get red. It's only a fucking stare, you virgin brat." From the corner of his eyes, he could see the man smirked. Eren snorted.

"It-it's only natural, right? Everyone must feel uncomfortable to be stared like that! Especially by a ghost! And watch your language, old man!" The polite boy in Eren scolded.

"Oh? I thought a normal person would have a fucking pale face if they are being stared at by a ghost, not that cute tomato face. And my language is normal, brat." Levi stated mockingly.

"So, I'm not a normal person you say?!" Eren fumed but flushed when he realized the man's words. "I-I'm... I'm not cute! Dammit!"

"I never said that." The ghost shrugged dismissively. "And yes, bright eyes, you're cute. Just accept the compliment and shut up."

Eren pursed his lips and looked away, still red faced. I never thought this guy is so annoying! A-and wh-what did he call meee? He tore a handful of reddish leaves on the waiting chair furiously. He stopped tearing leaves with brutal force when he remembered his initial objective. The brunette reluctantly turned to face the stoic ghost.

"Umm... Levi-san?"

"Hm? You're done sulking? Fucking finally." Eren furrowed his brow, annoyed. This person said that in purpose, huh? "And don't use that damn '-san' suffix."

Eren covered his mouth with both hands. "Oops... habit. You're older than me anyway, so, I automatically... "He scratched his cheek awkwardly.

The older man clicked his tongue. "Tch. Whatever."

Eren glanced at Levi hesitantly. "U-um... May I ask you something?"

"You already have."

Eren gritted his teeth. This guy... The brunette tried to control his emotions. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Haa... fuuhh... haaa... fuuuh...

"What's your question, shitty brat? I don't fucking have all day."

The corner of Eren's lips twitched. He muttered, "I'm not a brat" under his breath and then cleared his throat. He tilted his head upward to meet those cold blue-gray orbs.

"Uh... So... Do you remember how you... er... passed away?"

Levi looked at him a bit too intense, almost like a glare. He did not move after the question was out of the boy's mouth. As if the question made him freeze and the time around him suddenly stopped. Eren gulped nervously. It seemed that the topic was a bit sensitive. Eren looked to the ground, pretended the pile of reddish leaves near his shoes was more interesting than the ghost's handsome face.

"Uh... i-it's okay if you don't want to talk-"

"I don't remember."

"Eh?"

Eren turned his head back toward Levi. The man had looked back to the front.

"I don't remember how I died. The last thing I can remember was that I woke up at this bus stop, and I was already a ghost." He raised both of his pale hands. His skin looked translucent under the sunlight. The ghost's eyes softened. "And I remember that I want to meet someone."

Hearing Levi's answer activated the gears in the boy's brain. Maybe...

"Is it your lover?"

The man in the leather jacket was silent for a moment before answering, "You could say so."

So, it's true that Levi-san... Eren looked at Levi who once again looked at the hospital across from them. Was his lover there? Was his lover seriously ill? Somehow, Eren wanted to reunite the ghost with his lover. He seemed really desperate.

"What does she like?"

"Who?"

"Your lover." Who else?! Seriously...

Again. He was gazing at Eren a bit too long as if the question just now was something entirely unexpected and sounded stupid coming from the boy's lips. He moved his eyes from Eren and looked up at the clouds in the sky. Then, he closed his blue-gray eyes, as if enjoying the serene atmosphere around him, trying to remember every small detail of his lover.

"It's not a 'she' by the way. It's a he. He's one damn cutie. His hair is a mess–a fluffy mess–but seems really soft and I wanna touch it so badly. His eyes always sparkled with a strong spirit of life. His skin looks smooth without a single scars on it–If anyone dare to hurt that delicious smooth skin, they'll be dead–His body is slim, but fuck, the brat is taller than me," Levi whispered the last part with a slightly annoyed expression which made Eren clutched his side from too much laughing.

"He is a fucking klutz, still cute, though. There was one time he fell even though there was nothing on the ground. But, he was always smiling no matter what happened. His smile always calmed me down, somehow. And he's a very interesting teasing subject.

"But sometimes he has a sad look on his face. I don't know why he seems so dejected when he looks at his phone, as if he was waiting for something that never came." In this part, Levi's eyes seemed melancholy. It was really surprising to see him showed any kind of emotions other than mischievous and indifferent. Eren still listened to the ghost's every word.

"I've only been able to look at him from afar. We are close but feels really far from each other. I will not be able to reach him if I still in my comfort zone, doing nothing, and not trying to get close to him. That's why I want to meet him, want to touch him, want to feel his warmth, want to hear his laughter. And..." Levi trailed off. He then ruffled his black hair with a huff. "Ugh... I really sound stupid."

"Not really." Eren interrupted. "You don't sound stupid at all." A wide sincere smile graced his glowing young face. "You must have really loved him, huh?"

The man was staring straight at the ocean eyes. His blue-gray eyes were not as cold as usual. There was a radiant warmth in it, making Eren seemed to be drowned in those deep dark eyes.

"Right," he answered quietly, never taking his eyes off of Eren. "I thought so."

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 **(= RnR =)**


End file.
